CALIFORNIA 
AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION  SERVICE 

CIRCULAR  23 

December,  1928 


STRAWBERRY    CULTURE 
IN    CALIFORNIA 


A.  H.  HENDRICKSON 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Cooperative  Extension  work  in  Agriculture  and  Home  Economics,  College  of  Agriculture, 
University  of  California,  and  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  cooperating.  Dis- 
tributed in  furtherance  of  the  Acts  of  Congress  of  May  8  and  June  30,  1914.  B.  H.  Crocheron, 
Director,  California  Agricultural  Extension  Service. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRINTING  OFFICE 

BERKELEY,  CALIFORNIA 

1928 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

University  of  California,  Davis  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/strawberrycultur23hend 


STRAWBERRY  CULTURE  IN  CALIFORNIA 

A.  H.  HENDEICKSONi 


Strawberry  growing  in  California  is  an  industry  usually  located 
within  easy  reach  of  large  centers  of  population.  The  product  may 
be  classed  as  highl}^  perishable  in  nature  and  requires  careful  handling 
and  excellent  transportation  facilities.  Paved  roads  and  automobile 
trucks  have  widened  the  potential  strawberry  districts,  and  have  im- 
proved the  condition  in  which  berries  arrive  on  the  market.  Although 
production  costs  are  high,  this  fact  is  usually  counterbalanced  by  the 
comparatively  high  returns  per  acre.  The  unit  in  strawberry  culture 
in  California  is  ordinarily '  determined  by  the  amount  of  land  that 
can  be  handled  conveniently  by  one  family.  Sometimes  extensive 
plantings  of  this  fruit  are  found,  but  it  will  usually  be  observed  that 
these  large  areas  are  split  into  smaller  units,  which  are  handled  by 
one  man  with  the  assistance  of  his  family  and  intimate  friends. 

The  general  conditions  of  the  industry  in  California  have  probably 
not  varied  over  a  long  period.  There  have  been  fluctuations  in  acre- 
age planted  and  prices  received  from  year  to  year,  but  over  a  period 
of  four  years,  from  1924  to  1927  inclusive,  the  acreage  and  yield  in 
California  have  remained  nearly  stationary.^  It  is  probable  that 
increased  plantings  will  keep  pace  with  the  increase  in  population. 
Statistics  which  give  only  the  total  acreage  and  total  production 
do  not,  however,  always  give  an  accurate  story  of  the  industry  in  any 
given  district.  It  is  well  known  that  strawberries  produce  more  fruit 
per  acre  in  their  second  year  than  in  any  other  period.  Hence,  a 
small  reported  acreage,  if  a  majority  of  the  plantings  are  in  their 
second  year,  may  show  a  larger  production  in  a  given  district  than 
a  larger  planting  the  following  year. 

Although  strawberries  are  grown  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in 
nearly  every  state,  this  fact  does  not  seriously  influence  the  industry 
in  California.  Strawberries  grown  in  the  state  are,  for  the  most  part, 
consumed  locally.  Some  are  shipped  to  the  inter-mountain  states  and 
to  eastern  markets.  Usually  the  California  berries  ripen  before  those 
in  the  surrounding  region  and  hence  do  not  meet  competition  with 
the  berries  grown  in  those  sections.     Furthermore,  because  of  the 


1  Associate  Pomologist  in  the  Experiment  Station. 

2  Crops  and  Markets,  published  by  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.,  vol. 
1927. 


4  CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE  [CiRC.  23 

comparatively  mild  climate  under  which  most  of  the  California  ber- 
ries are  produced,  this  fruit  is  shipped  to  market  over  a  long  period 
extending  from  April  until  about  November.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  the  pack  of  canned  strawberries  in  California  has  markedly 
declined  during  the  last  few  years.  According  to  figures  compiled 
by  the  Canners'  League  of  California,  the  average  pack  for  the  years 
1920  to  1923  inclusive  was  4,204  cases;  no  strawberries  were  canned 
commercially  during  1924  and  1925 ;  and  only  322  cases  were  canned 
in  1926. 

The  principal  strawberry  sections  in  California  are  found  in  the 
central  coast  section,  in  southern  California  around  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles,  in  smaller  districts  in  Sacramento  County  and  in  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley,  with  some  plantings  in  the  Imperial  Valley,  Placer 
County,  and  other  scattered  regions.  According  to  statistics  compiled 
by  the  Crop  Reporting  Service  of  the  California  State  Department 
of  Agriculture,  the  approximate  acreage  of  strawberries  in  1926  was 
as  follows : 

County  or  district  Acres 

Shasta    40 

Alameda  300 

Monterey    100 

San    Mateo    40 

Santa    Clara    300 

Santa   Cruz    140 

Sonoma  60 

Sacramento 700 

San  Joaquin  Valley  (Fresno,  Tulare,  Stanislaus  counties)  450 

Los  Angeles  district  (Los  Angeles  and  Orange  counties) 1,500 

Imperial  125 

According  to  statistics  from  the  same  source,  the  yield  per  acre  in 
1926  averaged  as  follows: 

District  Quarts  per  acre 

Central  coast   district 5,600 

Sacramento    district    2,700 

San    Joaquin    district 3,500 

Imperial  Valley  1,500 

Los  Angeles   district 4,500 

These  yields  are  much  higher  on  the  average  than  yields  in  any 
other  strawberry-producing  centers  in  the  United  States.  The  total 
value  of  the  crop  for  California  for  1927  was  given  as  $4,151,000, 
which  was  about  evenly  divided  between  the  northern  and  southern 
sections  of  the  state. 


1928]  STRAWBERRY    CULTURE    IN    CALIFORNIA 


ESTIMATED   COST  OF  STARTING   A   STRAWBERRY   PLANTING 

The  cost  of  bringing  an  acre  of  strawberries  into  bearing  is  high. 
Accurate  costs  are  not  available  but  estimates  have  been  obtained  from 
a  number  of  growers.  Grading  of  the  land  must  be  done  very  care- 
fully. This  work  often  costs  from  $25.00  to  $60.00  an  acre,  according 
to  the  surface  irregularities  present.  Wooden  flumes  for  irrigating 
cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  $25.00.  Concrete  pipe  costs  much  more, 
but  is  not  ordinarily  installed  for  strawberries  alone.  If  the  straw- 
berries are  interplanted  in  an  orchard,  concrete  pipe  may  be  used  for 
irrigating,  but  in  this  case  a  part  of  the  cost  should  be  apportioned 
to  the  orchard.  Planting  may  cost  from  $60.00  to  $80.00  an  acre. 
Ordinarily,  10,000  to  12,000  plants  per  acre  are  used,  at  a  cost  of 
from  $12.00  to  $20.00  per  thousand  plants.  To  these  items  should  be 
added  the  cost  of  irrigation  water,  spraying  or  dusting  for  insect  and 
disease  control,  labor  in  irrigating  and  in  hoeing,  controlling  spread 
of  runners,  replanting,  and  removing  weeds.  One  strawberry  man 
estimated  that  the  cost  of  bringing  a  strawberry  plantation  into  bear- 
ing varies  from  $700.00  to  $1,000.00  an  acre.  The  orchard  is  often 
rented  to  straAvberry  growers  who  are  able  to  secure  the  necessary 
labor  during  the  critical  periods. 

The  second  year  is  usually  the  most  productive  one  during  the 
life  of  a  strawberry  planting.  Sometimes  a  few  crates  or  chests  of 
berries  may  be  secured  the  first  season  after  setting.  A  production 
of  200  chests  of  72  pounds  each  per  acre  is  not  unusual  for  the  second 
year,  and  much  higher  yields  have  been  recorded.  The  third  year 
yields  slightly  less  than  the  second,  and  the  fourth  sometimes  pro- 
duces about  two-thirds  as  much  as  the  third  year.  Four  years  is 
about  the  average  life  of  a  strawberry  planting.  At  the  end  of  that 
time,  many  bare  spots  are  usually  found,  the  planting  is  often  foul 
with  weeds  in  spite  of  the  careful  hoeing,  and  the  yield  is  much 
reduced.  When  grown  in  an  orchard  the  trees  ordinarily  are  large 
enough  at  three  or  four  years  of  age  to  shade  the  berry  plants  and 
compete  with  them  for  water. 

Except  in  a  few  cases,  strawberries  are  grown  as  an  intercrop 
in  young  orchards  or  vineyards,  until  the  trees  come  into  bearing 
(fig.  1).  Strawberries  are  admirably  suited  to  this  purpose,  and  many 
orchards  may  be  found  where  these  berries  were  of  material  assistance 
in  helping  to  pay  expenses  while  the  trees  were  young. 


CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE 


[CiRC.  21 


LOCATIONS    FOR    STRAWBERRIES 

Strawberries  blossom  and  set  fruit  over  a  long  period;  hence  an 
occasional  light  spring  frost,  aside  from  reducing  the  yield  of  early 
berries,  may  not  be  serious.  As  a  rule,  however,  a  region  subject 
to  severe  frosts  during  the  blossoming  season  should  be  avoided. 
Bottom  lands  or  swales,  into  which  cold  air  drains  from  the  higher 


P; 


Fig.  1. — Two-year-old  planting  of  strawberries  grown  as  an  intercrop  in  a 

young  vineyard. 

surrounding  elevation,  are  hazardous  because  of  the  danger  of  freez- 
ing of  the  buds  or  flowers.  The  site  should  be  chosen  to  allow  the 
heavy,  cold  air  to  drain  away  from  the  plantation  to  lower  levels. 

The  aspect  of  the  plantation  may  influence  the  season  of  ripening 
to  a  considerable  extent.  A  warm  exposure  may  cause  the  fruit  to 
ripen  several  days  or  a  week  earlier  than  the  same  variety  planted 
a  few  hundred  yards  away  on  a  site  which  faces  in  another  direction. 
Earliness  is  usually  desirable,  for  the  early  fruits  command  the  best 
prices. 


1928]  STRAWBERRY   CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


SOILS    FOR    STRAWBERRIES 

Strawberries  thrive  on  many  types  of  soils.  In  California  they 
may  be  found  growing  on  soils  ranging*  from  the  sands  and  sandy 
loams  to  adobes.  The  care  given  a  plantation  seems  to  govern  its 
success  more  than  does  the  type  of  soil  upon  which  it  is  growing. 
Because  of  the  enormous  amount  of  hand  work  necessary,  plantings 
on  soils  which  are  naturally  mellow  and  friable  are  more  desirable 
from  the  labor  standpoint  than  those  on  soils  which  are  easily  puddled 
and  which  later  form  a  hard  crust  on  the  surface.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  heavier  kinds  of  soils  usually  contain  a  relatively  larger  amount 
of  available  moisture  after  rain  or  irrigation,  and  the  interval  between 
irrigations  on  this  type  of  soil  may  be  greater  than  on  the  sandy  soils. 
It  is  held  by  some  growers  that  yields  on  the  heavier  types  of  soils 
are  somewhat  greater  than  those  on  the  lighter  types.  Some  growers 
prefer  soils  containing  a  moderate  amount  of  organic  matter,  but 
many  successful  plantings  have  been  grown  on  soils  nearly  devoid  of 
this  material. 

Strawberries  are  generally  grown  on  land  that  is  nearly  level, 
because  of  convenience  in  irrigating.  However,  the  necessity  for 
irrigating  does  not  preclude  sloping  land  from  being  used  for  straw- 
berries. Excellent  plantings  may  be  found  in  some  of  the  foothill 
sections,  where  the  prevailing  slopes  are  fairly  steep.  In  the  latter 
case,  the  plants  may  be  set  out  on  contours,  or,  if  the  soil  does  not 
wash  easily  and  the  irrigation  water  may  be  controlled  readily,  the 
rows  are  run  in  nearly  any  direction,  without  regard  to  the  slope. 
In  a  few  sections  where  strawberries  are  grown  without  irrigation, 
the  rows  usually  are  laid  out  with  reference  to  the  orchard  rows 
rather  than  to  the  slope. 

Lack  of  drainage  seldom  gives  much  trouble  except  in  those  places 
where  there  is  standing  water  at  or  near  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


CLIMATE 

Strawberries  thrive  in  the  cool  central  coast  region,  but  are  also 
found  growing  thriftily  in  the  warm  interior  valleys.  The  berries 
ripen  over  a  long  period  in  the  coastal  sections,  producing  almost 
continuously  from  April  to  November.  In  the  interior  valleys  there 
seems  to  be  a  tendency  to  produce  a  single  crop  in  early  summer,  or 
a  large  spring  crop  followed  by  a  smaller  one  during  the  fall  months. 
More  frequent  irrigation  may  be  necessary  during  the  summer  months 
in  the  interior  sections  than  in  the  cooler  coastal  regions. 


CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE  [GiRC.  21 


PROPAGATION    OF   STRAWBERRIES 

Strawberries  propagate  by  means  of  runners.  During  the  grow- 
ing season,  established  strawberry  plants  send  out  slender  stems  8  to 
16  inches  long  in  all  directions.  Each  alternate  node,  if  in  contact 
with  the  ground,  takes  root  and  forms  a  new  jDlant.  The  roots  become 
established  in  the  ground,  and  later  the  slender  stem  connecting  the 
old  plant  and  the  young  dies,  leaving  the  new  plants  independent 
and  in  turn  ready  to  send  out  runners.  These  young  jolants,  before 
they  have  produced  fruit,  are  the  most  desirable  ones  for  use  in  new 
plantations. 

The  ease  of  gathering  new  plants  should  not  lead  to  carelessness 
in  the  matter  of  selecting  the  best  stock  available,  and  certain  pre- 
cautions should  be  observed  in  collecting  new  individuals  from  old 
plantations.  Plants  from  diseased  or  insect-infested  areas  should 
be  discarded,  and  only  clean,  healthy  ones  chosen.  Carelessness  in 
the  choice  of  plants  often  leads  to  the  introduction  of  diseases  and 
insects  into  sections  that  may  previously  have  been  clean.  Many 
growers  prefer  to  buy  their  new  plants  from  men  who  make  a 
specialty  of  producing  strawberry  plants.  These  strawberry  nurs- 
eries are,  for  the  most  part,  located  in  the  foothills  of  the  northern 
counties.  The  plants  are  usually  grown  on  virgin  land,  and  the  soil 
is  of  such  a  friable  nature  that  exceptionally  strong  and  healthy  root 
systems  are  developed.  As  these  nurseries  are  somewhat  isolated,  the 
plants  produced  are  usually  free  from  injurious  insect  pests  and 
diseases. 

PLANTING    AND    PLANTING     DISTANCES 

The  preparation  of  the  soil  for  the  new  berry  plantations  should 
be  as  thorough  as  possible.  On  account  of  the  shallowness  of  the 
feeding  roots  of  small  fruits,  the  effort  expended  in  preparing  the 
soil  before  planting  will  be  repaid  by  the  vigor  and  thrift  of  the 
young  plants.  The  soil  should  be  plowed  deeply  in  time  to  allow  the 
weeds  and  cover  crops  to  decompose  before  the  plants  are  set  out, 
and  should  be  as  fine  and  friable  as  frequent  harrowings  will  make  it. 
A  mellow  soil,  free  from  lumps,  enables  the  young  plants  to  become 
established  quickly  and  to  survive  the  first  year  in  greater  numbers 
than  when  the  soil  is  carelessly  prepared. 

The  method  of  planting  strawberries  depends  upon  the  irrigation 
practice  in  a  given  district.     The  necessity  for  frequent  irrigation 


1928] 


STRAWBERRY    CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


has  led  to  the  adoption  of  a  number  of  cultural  methods  that  will 
be  discussed  briefly  in  the  following  paragraphs.  As  a  rule,  straw- 
berries in  California  are  grown  in  rows  rather  than  in  hills,  and 
greater  acreages  are  grown  in  'raised  beds'  (fig.  2)  than  in  'level 
culture'  (fig.  3). 


Fig.  2. — Strawberries  grown  on  raised  beds.     A  wooden  flume  for  irrigating 
is  shown  in  background. 


Fig.   3. — One-year-old  planting  of  strawberries  grown  under  level  culture. 

The  raised  bed  (fig.  2)  differs  from  level  culture  in  that  the  plants 
are  grown  on  a  wide  row  slightly  raised  above  the  intervening  spaces 
which  give  room  for  irrigation,  cultivation,  and  picking.  The  sunken 
spaces  in  the  raised-bed  system  are  permanent  during  the  continuation 


10  CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE  [CiRC.  21 

of  the  plantation,  while  the  irrigation  furrows  in  the  level-culture  sys- 
tems are  made  for  each  irrigation  or  at  the  beginning  of  each  season. 
The  width  of  the  beds  and  the  furrows  varies  greatly  in  different 
sections.  The  common  width  of  the  raised  bed  and  its  adjacent 
furrow  is  4  to  5  feet,  the  bed  itself  occupying  somewhat  more  than 
half  of  this  width.  The  beds  are  raised  from  3  to  6  inches  above  the 
furrows  and  are  200  to  300  feet  long.  The  tendency  with  most 
growers  is  to  make  the  raised  beds  so  wide  that  difficulty  is  experi- 
enced in  properly  moistening  the  soil  in  the  middle  of  the  bed. 

In  sections  where  the  beds  are  narrow,  plants  are  set  out  in  a 
single  row  in  the  center  of  the  bed  from  8  or  10  inches  to  24  inches 
apart  (fig.  2),  according  to  the  rate  at  which  the  new  runners  are  pro- 
duced and  the  number  of  plants  available  at  the  time  of  planting. 
This  type  of  planting  requires  from  10,000  to  25,000  plants  per  acre, 
depending  on  the  spacing  of  the  plants  and  the  width  between  the 
rows.  Runners  or  offsets  are  allowed  to  take  root  in  the  row  itself  but 
not  to  spread  laterally,  the  aim  being  to  maintain  the  width  of  the  row 
at  10  or  12  inches.  Runners  spreading  laterally  are  either  cut  off  or 
moved  to  the  center  of  the  row. 

Where  the  beds  are  wider  and  the  wide  'matted  row,'  as  it  is 
called,  is  desired,  the  plants  are  set  out  about  12  to  18  inches  apart  in 
a  double  row,  the  rows  being  18  to  24  inches  apart,  and  3  to  4  inches 
from  the  edge  of  the  bed.  From  12,000  to  15,000  plants  to  the  acre 
are  required  when  this  method  is  used.  The  plants  are  allowed  to 
spread  toward  the  edge  of  the  bed  and  toward  the  center,  forming  a 
solid  mat  of  plants.  A  variation  of  the  matted-row  system  is  to  pro- 
vide a  rather  narrow  but  deep  furrow  for  irrigation,  extending  for 
the  full  length  of  the  row  in  the  center  of  the  bed  (fig.  4).  The  hard- 
pan,  which  is  close  to  the  surface  in  the  districts  where  this  system 
is  used,  probably  aids  in  the  lateral  movement  of  water  and  thus 
irrigates  the  plants  on  either  side  of  the  furrow.  The  paths,  in  the 
latter  case,  are  not  sunk  below  the  beds,  but  maintained  on  the  same 
level. 

When  level  culture  is  practiced,  the  plants  are  set  out  10  to  14  or 
16  inches  apart  in  the  row,  and  maintained  as  separate  hills,  or 
allowed  to  form  solid  rows  (fig.  1).  Irrigation  water  is  applied  by 
shallow  furrows  made,  whenever  needed,  as  close  to  the  rows  of  plants 
as  possible. 

The  raised  beds  can  be  irrigated  more  conveniently  than  the  level- 
culture  plantings,  because  the  ditches  are  permanent  and  are  not 
destroyed  by  cultivation.  Frequently,  however,  water  is  applied 
without  any  attempt  to  cultivate,  and  the  result  is  a  hard-baked  path 
between  the  rows. 


1928] 


STRAWBERRY    CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


11 


Strawberries  require  greater  care  in  planting  than  do  most  of  the 
small  fruits.  Only  young  plants  with  light-colored  roots  should  be 
used ;  the  older  plants,  having  dark  brown  roots,  should  be  discarded. 
The  plants  must  not  be  allowed  to  dry  out  during  the  planting  oper- 
ations, but  should  preferably  be  wrapped  in  wet  burlap  or  kept  in 
pails  of  water.  The  outside  whorl  of  leaves  should  be  removed  when 
the  plant  is  set  out,  leaving  only  one  or  two  of  the  small  center  leaves. 
The  plant  must  be  set  firmly  at  the  same  depth  at  which  it  had  been 
growing.     If  set  too  high,  or  if  the  soil  is  not  sufficiently  firmed,  the 


Fig.  4. — The  wide  matted  row  system,  with  the  deep  ditch  for  irrigation 
shown  in  the  middle  foreground. 

young  plants  will  dry  out  and  die ;  if  set  too  low,  so  that  the  crown 
is  covered  with  moist  soil,  the  plant  quickly  rots.  Experienced  grow- 
ers, in  making  the  raised  beds,  leave  the  centers  slightly  higher  than 
the  edges.  If  the  soil  settles  away  from  the  crowns  of  the  young 
plants  after  a  few  weeks,  this  extra  soil  is  moved  up  around  the  plants 
with  a  hoe,  leaving  the  plants  set  at  the  right  depth  and  the  entire 
bed  level. 

Planting  may  best  be  done  any  time  during  November,  December, 
and  January  when  the  weather  permits,  although  late  spring  planting 
has  also  been  successful.  Plants  set  out  in  November  are  well  estab- 
lished by  spring  and  often  produce  a  considerable  crop  that  year. 
However,  many  growers  make  a  practice  of  removing  the  first  few 
blossoms  so  that  the  young  plant  may  become  well  established  before 
bearing. 


12 


CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE 


[CiRC.  21 


IRRIGATION 

Strawberries  are  comparatively  shallow-rooted,  and  hence  require 
more  frequent  irrigation  than  tree  fruits.  The  usual  practice  is  to 
irrigate  every  two  or  three  weeks  during  the  early  part  of  the  season, 
and  then  at  more  frequent  intervals  during  the  hotter  portion  of  the 
growing  period.  Irrigation  water  is  applied  at  weekly  intervals  dur- 
ing the  summer,  and  in  case  of  particularly  hot  weather  the  water 


Fig. 


5. — On  rolling  land,  tlie  water  is  often  distributed  from  hydrants  on 
the  knolls. 


may  be  put  on  every  four  or  five  days.  During  the  late  fall  months, 
sufficient  water  is  applied  at  intervals,  up  to  the  time  of  the  first  rains, 
to  keep  the  plants  growing  thriftily.  With  strawberries,  the  practice 
is  to  fill  the  shallow  ditches  between  the  rows  up  to  the  level  of  the 
top  of  the  raised  bed  upon  which  the  plants  are  set.  On  steep  grades, 
small,  temporary  earth  dams  are  thrown  up  across  the  ditch  to  give 
the  entire  row  a  uniform  wetting.    The  middle  of  the  bed  is  supposed 


1928] 


STRAWBERRY    CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


18 


to  be  moistened  by  lateral  percolation,  but  it  is  often  doubtful  if  it 
is  moistened  sufficiently  when  the  row  is  very  wide.  Experience 
indicates  that  the  strawberry  plant  should  never  be  allowed  to  suffer 
from  drought,  even  for  short  periods. 

The  usual  practice  with  the  matted  row  system  is  to  irrigate  several 
rows  at  one  time,  depending  upon  the  head  of  water  available.  In 
this  way  the  alternating  ditches  are  slowly  filled  to  the  level  of  the 
raised  center  portions.     During  the  picking  season,  irrigation  follows 


Fig.  6. — A  method  of  conducting  water  down  steep  slopes  in  strawberry  fields. 

rather  than  precedes  a  picking,  so  that  the  pickers  may  have  a  dry 
surface  to  walk  upon.  In  districts  where  the  plants  are  grown  under 
the  level  culture  system,  with  either  a  single  furrow  on  one  side  or 
two  furrows,  one  on  either  side  of  the  row,  the  practice  is  to  allow  a 
small  stream  of  water  to  run  for  a  long  period.  In  either  system  the 
velocity  of  the  water  should  not  be  great  enough  to  wash  the  soil 
from  around  the  roots  of  the  plants  on  the  edge  of  the  row. 

Water^  is  usually  brought  to  the  strawberry  fields  from  the  main 
canal  or  pump  by  small  ditches  or  wooden  flumes.    In  Placer  County, 


3  Description  of  irrigation  structures  taken  from :  Hutchins.  W.  A.  Irrigation 
practice  in  growing  small  fruits  in  California.  California  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Cir. 
154:6-10.     1923.     [Out  of  print.] 


14 


CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE 


[CiRC.  21 


the  water  is  usually  brought  to  the  high  points  by  iron  pipes  and  the 
flow  regulated  by  hydrants  (fig.  5)  and  distributed  in  small  furrows. 
Where  the  grades  are  steep  the  water  is  often  brought  downhill  in 
simple  wooden  V-flumes,  or  by  means  of  tile,  as  shown  in  figure  6. 
Distribution  of  water  depends  ui)on  the  soil  and  upon  the  general 
practice  in  each  district. 

Where  earth  laterals  are  used,  the  water  is  brought  to  the  top  of 
the  row  through  the  ditch  bank  by  means  of  small  cuts,  usually  lined 
with  pieces  of  canvas  or  burlap,  or  by  means  of  short  pieces  of  iron 
pipe  through  the  bank.  Experience  soon  demonstrates  the  amount 
of  fall  and  the  size  of  openings  that  may  be  used  with  safety. 


Fig.  7. — Typical  irrigation  flumes  made  of  redwood. 

Exp.  Sta.  Cir.  154.) 


(From  California  Agr, 


Wooden  flumes  are  widely  used  (fig.  7).  The  main  flumes  are 
usually  12  by  14  inches  and  are  made  of  1-inch  redwood  bo?„rds.  The 
lateral  flumes  are  made  of  1  by  8  inch  lumber.  The  sides  of  the  flumes 
are  braced  by  small  cleats,  nailed  across  the  top  8  or  10  feet  apart. 
The  joints  are  often  sealed  with  tar  or  roofing  paint  and  held  together 
with  pieces  of  lath  or  car  strips.  A  3-inch  hole  is  bored  in  the  side  of 
the  flume  at  the  head  of  each  row.  When  not  in  use,  these  holes  are 
filled  with  a  wooden  plug  similar  to  the  bung  of  a  barrel.  The  grade 
of  the  main  flume  is  usually  about  3.5  inches  in  100  feet,  and  of  the 
laterals  1.0  to  2.5  inches  in  100  feet. 


1928]  STRAWBERRY   CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA  15 


METHODS   OF    CULTIVATION 

The  care  of  a  strawberry  plantation  requires  a  great  deal  of  hand 
hoeing  and  weed  pulling.  Cultivation  by  horse-drawn  implements  is 
shallow  to  prevent  injury  to  the  roots  of  the  plants.  In  many  cases, 
under  the  matted-row  system,  a  light  cultivator  or  a  one-horse  sled 
with  iron  teeth  projecting  into  the  soil  is  run  in  the  furrows  after 
each  cultivation  during  the  early  part  of  the  season.  This  practice 
tends  to  prevent  weed  growth  between  the  raised  beds.  Later  in  the 
season,  when  irrigations  are  so  frequent  that  the  soil  does  not  dry 
sufficiently  between  waterings  to  permit  cultivation,  the  intervening 
spaces  often  become  hard  and  baked,  particularly  with  the  heavy 
types  of  soils.  Weeds  can  be  removed  from  the  beds  only  by  careful 
hoeing  or  by  pulling  by  hand.  This  hand  weeding,  together  with 
keeping  the  edges  of  the  beds  true  to  grade,  usually  requires  all  the 
time  available  between  pickings.  Frequently  during  the  fourth  year 
of  the  planting,  very  little  attention  is  paid  to  weed  removal  after  the 
first  few  cultivations  in  the  spring. 


CONTROL   OF    RUNNERS 

After  the  strawberry  plant  is  established  and  has  been  growing 
for  some  time,  it  sends  out  runners  which  produce  the  new  plants. 
In  the  matted-row  system,  three  or  four  runners  are  allowed  to  form 
new  plants  the  first  year.  These  are  grouped  around  the  mother 
plant  and  are  not  allowed  to  establish  themselves  in  the  irrigating 
furrow.  Other  runners  which  may  form  are  cut  off.  This  system,  in 
effect,  produces  two  more  or  less  matted  rows  with  a  bare  space  along 
the  center  of  the  raised  bed.  The  following  year,  the  runners  are 
allowed  to  spread  until  the  whole  bed  is  thickly  set  with  plants. 
During  the  fall  and  winter  months,  most  of  the  old  plants  are  removed, 
allowing  the  younger  ones  to  remain  and  fruit  the  following  season. 
In  the  single-row  system,  new  runner  plants  are  carefully  placed  in 
the  row  and  are  not  allowed  to  encroach  upon  the  space  between  rows. 


16 


CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE 


[CiRC.  21 


USE    OF    FERTILIZERS 

Experimental  data  on  the  value  of  fertilizers  for  strav\^berries  are 
inclusive.  The  experience  of  grov^ers  in  California  indicates  that  fer- 
tilizers are  unnecessary  during  the  first  year  of  the  planting,  except 
possibly  in  some  soils  very  deficient  in  plant  food.  It  is  a  common 
practice  to  apply  materials  like  guano,  pulverized  sheep  manure, 
bone  meal,  and  dried  blood  on  the  surface  of  the  beds,  to  be  w^orked 
in  v^ith  the  hoe  during  the  early  spring  of  the  second  or  third  years ; 
but  whether  such  treatment  is  beneficial  has  not  been  proved. 


Fig.  8. — A  convenient  outfit  for  spraying  strawberries. 


DISEASES   AND    INSECTS 

Strawberries  are  subject  to  attacks  by  many  diseases  and  insect 
pests,  some  of  which  are  difficult  to  control.  Until  recent  years,  treat- 
ment of  most  of  these  troubles  consisted  in  removing  diseased  plants 
and  spraying  with  a  fungicide  during  the  dormant  season.  The  devel- 
opment of  highly  refined  oil-emulsion  sprays  has  aided  in  the  control 
of  certain  insect  pests  (fig.  8).  While  some  oils  and  Bordeaux  may 
safely  be  used,  sulfur  should  not  be  applied  to  strawberry  plants  dur- 
ing the  growing  season.  Some  of  the  most  serious  diseases  and  insects 
are  decribed  below. 


1928]  STRAWBERRY    CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA  17 

Leaf -Spot  (MycosphaercUa  fragariac). — The  disease  known  as 
leaf-spot  is  generally  recognized  by  the  small  dead  spots  with  red 
borders  on  the  leaves.  The  old  leaves  should  be  removed  in  the  fall 
and  burned,  and  the  entire  plantation  sprayed  with  standard  (5-5-50) 
strength  Bordeaux  mixture  just  before  active  growth  starts  in  the 
spring. 

Yellows  or  Xanthosis. — The  yellows  disease  is  prevalent  in  the 
central  coast  district.  It  causes  serious  losses,  but  a  specific  remedy 
is  unknown.  The  new  leaves  are  narrow  and  have  yellow  margins, 
and  the  fruit  is  inferior  and  scarce.  The  infected  plants  live  for  a 
considerable  time.  It  is  thought  that  this  disease  is  carried  from  one 
plant  to  another  by  aphids.  As  far  as  is  known  at  present,  the  best 
methods  of  avoiding  the  trouble  seem  to  consist  in  securing  healthy 
plants,  making  new  plantations  as  far  from  old  diseased  ones  as  pos- 
sible, spraying  to  control  aphids,  and  removing  all  plants  that  show 
any  signs  of  the  trouble. 

Fruit  Rots. — Strawberries  which  are  bruised  or  crushed  in  pick- 
ing are,  as  a  rule,  quickly  infected  with  one  or  more  of  the  common 
fungi  that  cause  the  fruit  to  rot.  Once  started  in  a  basket,  these  rots 
spread  from  the  bruised  berries  to  the  sound  fruit.  Care  in  picking 
and  handling  is  the  only  remedy.  Berries  which  rest  upon  wet  soil 
are  often  attacked  by  one  or  more  of  these  rots. 

Brown  Blight. — Brown  blight  appears  to  be  a  fungous  root  rot. 
The  outer  leaves  wither,  turn  brown,  and  die.  In  severe  cases  the 
plant,  too,  is  killed.  The  disease  seems  to  occur  only  in  the  spring. 
The  diseased  plants  should  be  removed,  and  new  plants  set  in  their 
places. 

Straivherry  Aphis  (Myzus  fragaefolii). — Strawberry  aphis,  a 
small,  pale  yellow  plant  louse,  found  chiefly  on  the  under  sides  of 
the  leaves,  may  usually  be  controlled  by  dusting  liberally  with  5  per 
cent  nicotine  dust  applied  to  the  under  side  of  the  leaf.  Summer  oil- 
emulsion  sprays  for  red  spider  also  aid  in  controlling  these  aphids. 

Strawherry  Croivn  Borer  {Aegeria  rutilans). — The  strawberry 
crown  moth  is  a  small,  white  caterpillar  that  destroys  plants  by  boring 
into  the  crown  of  the  plant.  The  only  known  remedy  is  to  remove  and 
burn  the  dead  plants. 

Straivherry  Flea  Beetle  (Haltica  ignita). — The  strawberry  flea 
beetle  is  a  small,  bright  green  or  purplish  beetle,  which  feeds  chiefly 
on  the  leaves  of  the  plant.  It  often  seriously  curtails  the  production 
of  some  fields  in  their  third  and  fourth  seasons.  Bordeaux  mixture  is 
sometimes  used  as  a  repellant. 


18  CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE  [CiRC.  21 

Strawberry  Root  Worm  (Paria  canella). — The  adult  strawberry 
leaf  beetles,  which  are  brown  with  black  markings,  feed  on  the  leaves, 
while  the  small,  white  larvae  attack  the  roots.  Infested  plants  should 
be  removed  and  burned.  Infestations  may  be  controlled  by  spraying 
with  arsenate  of  lead  at  the  rate  of  3  pounds  of  powder  to  100  gallons 
of  water.  The  plants  should  not  be  sprayed  with  this  poison  if 
berries  are  present. 

Bed  Spider,  Tivo-Spoited  Mite  (Tetranychus  telarius). — Of  all  the 
pests  attacking  strawberries,  red  spider  is  one  of  the  most  serious. 
It  is  very  small  in  size,  yellow  in  color  when  young,  and  produces  a 
web  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves.  It  can  best  be  controlled  by 
spraying  with  a  summer  oil  emulsion,  applied  to  the  under  surface 
of  the  leaves  by  means  of  a  short  rod  with  an  upturned  discharge. 
Plants  should  not  be  allowed  to  suffer  for  water. 


HARVESTING 

The  perishable  nature  of  strawberries  requires  that  this  fruit  be 
handled  very  carefully.  Picking  should  be  done  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  avoid  bruising  the  fruit.  The  berries  are  picked  with  the  calyx 
and  a  short  portion  of  the  stem  intact,  and  are  placed  directly  into 
the  cups  or  baskets  in  which  they  are  sold.  When  ^ faced'  the  fruit 
should  not  be  handled  any  more  than  is  necessary.  The  cups  or  con- 
tainers should  fit  snugly  in  the  crates  or  chests  to  prevent  shifting 
during  transportation.  Although  strawberries  may  be  picked  through- 
out the  day,  many  growers  plan  to  have  most  of  the  picking  done 
during  the  early  morning  hours.  Berries  picked  when  wet  are  more 
easily  injured  in  handling  and  are  more  apt  to  rot  in  transit  than 
those  picked  dry. 

Berries  for  long-distance  shipment  are  picked  when  mature,  but 
firm  in  texture.  For  nearby  markets  the  fruit  may  be  somewhat  riper 
but  not  soft  or  mushy.  The  shipping  standards  for  strawberries  as 
found  in  the  California  Fruit,  Nut  and  Vegetable  Standardization 
Act  of  1927,  states  that  "Any  strawberry  which  has  not  less  than 
two-thirds  of  the  surface  showing  pink  or  red  color  shall  be  considered 
mature. ' ' 

The  standard  container  for  strawberries  is  a  basket  containing 
one  dry  pint  of  approximately  33.6  cubic  inches.  These  baskets  are 
marketed  in  larger  containers  of  various  sizes  and  descriptions.  The 
favorite  container  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region  is  the  chest  which 


1928] 


STRAWBERRY    CULTURE    IN    CALIFORNIA 


19 


holds  16  drawers  of  six  baskets  each,  or  approximately  72  pounds  of 
fruit  (fig.  9).  In  other  districts,  flat  containers  holding  12,  15,  20, 
24,  or  30  baskets  are  often  used. 

The  standard  practice  for  many  years  has  been  to  market  straw- 
berries with  the  individual  baskets  'faced.'  Facing  consists  in  filling 
the  top  layer  with  berries  of  uniform  size  arranged  in  straight  rows. 
Formerly  the  berries  in  the  bottom  of  the  box  were  often  small  and 


Fig.  D.-CIk'sI    with  hinged  side  used  in  California  for  local  shipments  of 
berries.     Each  draAver  holds  a  slide  containing  six  cups  or  baskets. 


inferior.  This  practice  is  now  unlawful,  and  the  various  counties 
provide  for  inspection  of  strawberries  in  conformance  with  the 
California  Fruit,  Nut,  and  Vegetable  Standardization  Act  of  1927. 
Recently,  a  portion  of  the  strawberry  crop  has  been  marketed  under 
what  is  known  as  the  'jumble'  pack,  in  which  no  facing  is  attempted. 
The  strawberry  crop  is  marketed  in  various  ways.  It  may  be  sold 
direct  to  buyers,  or  handled  through  commission  men  or  cooperative 
associations. 


20  CALIFORNIA  AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION   SERVICE  [CiRC.  21 


STATUS  OF  THE   INDUSTRY 

The  growing  of  strawberries  in  California  presents  several  unique 
problems,  which  should  be  carefully  considered  by  the  prospective 
strawberry  producer.  This  industry  often  goes  hand-in-hand  with 
the  extension  of  orchard  areas.  It  occupies  the  land  while  the  trees 
are  young.  Furthermore,  the  average  life  of  a  strawberry  planta- 
tion is  about  four  years.  New  plantings  seldom  follow  old  ones  on 
the  same  land,  probably  because  of  the  presence  of  pests,  or  perhaps 
because  of  the  condition  of  the  soil  subsequent  to  the  cultural  treat- 
ments now  used.  Strawberry  growers  seem  to  prefer  leasing  land 
rather  than  buying  it.  Centers  of  intensive  strawberry  culture  are 
thus  somewhat  migratory. 

The  production  of  strawberries,  like  that  of  other  small  fruits, 
is  subject  to  rather  severe  fluctuations  in  acreage  in  a  given  district. 
New  plantings  are  in  full  bearing  the  second  year  after  planting. 
Thus  any  nearby  market  may  easily  be  over-supplied  with  this  fruit 
after  a  year  or  two  of  high  prices. 

During  the  past  few  years,  the  canning  of  strawberries  on  a  com- 
mercial scale  in  California  has  not  been  an  outlet  of  great  importance. 
Local  markets  seem  to  be  well  supplied  by  the  existing  acreage,  which 
may  readily  be  extended  to  care  for  increased  consumption.  Any 
marked  extension  of  the  industry  in  the  future  would  seem  to  rest 
upon  the  use  of  these  berries  by  barreling  or  preserving  by  some  other 
means,  and  upon  eastern  shipments.  Shipping  to  distant  markets 
under  refrigeration  is  one  of  the  possible  outlets,  provided  the  berries 
are  grown  in  sufficient  quantities  in  a  given  district  so  that  they 
mav  be  marketed  in  carloads. 


VARIETIES 

The  following  is  a  brief  description  of  some  of  the  principal 
varieties  now  being  grown  in  California : 

Marshall:  Plant  vigorous,  healthy,  spreading,  and  a  good  producer 
of  new  plants.  Flower  perfect.  Foliage  large,  with  coarse  serrations. 
Fruit  medium  to  large ;  roundish  conic  in  shape ;  dark  red,  flesh  some- 
what lighter  in  color;  firm;  seeds  somewhat  depressed.  An  old 
standard  in  many  sections. 


1928]  STRAWBERRY    CULTURE   IN    CALIFORNIA  21 

Gold  Dollar:  Plant  medium  in  size  and  vigor,  erect,  a  good  plant 
maker.  Flower  perfect.  Fruit  rather  elongated  conic ;  dark  red,  flesh 
somewhat  lighter  in  color;  firm.  Ripens  early  and  produces  over  a 
fairly  long  season.  Grown  in  Florin  and  Newcastle  sections.  A  good 
shipper. 

Malinda:  Plant  inclined  to  be  small;  a  fair  plant  maker.  Flower 
perfect.  Fruit  small;  conic;  flesh  dark  red;  firm  with  a  firm  core. 
Grown,  with  others,  in  Pajaro  Valley. 

Oregon  (Oregon  Plum)  :  Plant  medium  in  size,  vigorous,  erect, 
prolific  plant  maker,  and  a  heavy  producer.  Flower  perfect.  Fruit 
medium  to  large ;  broad  conic ;  dark,  glossy  red ;  flesh  medium  red ; 
inclined  to  be  soft.  Ships  well  to  nearby  markets.  Popular  in  the 
Pajaro  and  Santa  Clara  valleys  and  in  the  Florin  section.  Ripens 
early. 

Klondike:  Plant  vigorous  and  a  fairly  good  plant  maker;  fair 
producer.  Flower  perfect.  Fruit  fair-sized ;  roundish-conic  ;  dark  red 
in  color;  firm,  and  a  good  shipper.  Grown  with  others  in  the  section 
around  Los  Angeles. 

Nick  Ohmer:  Medium  in  size  and  vigor;  fair  producer  and  plant 
maker.  Flower  perfect.  Fruit  medium  to  large  in  size;  roundish 
conic ;  somewhat  soft  in  texture ;  sub-acid  flavor.  Grown  in  districts 
adjacent  to  San  Francisco. 

Excelsior:  Plant  vigorous,  a  fair  producer,  and  a  good  plant  maker. 
Flower  perfect.  Fruit  medium  in  size ;  conic,  firm ;  sharply  acid  in 
flavor.    Season,  early.    Grown  in  Los  Angeles  district. 

Banner:  Plant  vigorous,  upright,  a  good  plant  maker;  exception- 
ally heavy  producer.  Flower  perfect.  Fruit  large,  roundish  conic; 
seeds  depressed.  Color  dark  red,  becoming  almost  purple  when  ripe. 
Leading  variety  in  the  central  coast  district. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FEEE  DISTRIBUTION 


BULLETINS 


No.  No. 

253.  Irrigation   and   Soil   Conditions  in  the  389. 

Sierra   Nevada   Foothills,    California.  390. 

262.  Citrus   Diseases   of   Florida   and   Cuba 

Compared   with   those   of    California.  391. 

263.  Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

268.   Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings.  392. 

277.  Sudan  Grass.  393. 

278.  Grain   Sorghums.  394. 

279.  Irrigation   of   Rice   in    California. 
283.  The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

304.  A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on  395. 

Citrus  in  California. 

310.   Plum  Pollination.  396. 

313.  Pruning      Young      Deciduous      Fruit 

Trees.  397. 

324.   Storage  of  Perishable  Fruits  at  Freez- 
ing Temperatures.  398. 

328.   Prune   Growing  in   California.  400. 

331.   Phylloxera-resistant  Stocks.  402. 

335.   Cocoanut   Meal    as   a    Feed   for   Dairy  404. 

Cows   and   Other   Livestock.  405. 

340.   Control     of     the     Pocket     Gopher     in  406. 

California,  407. 

343.  Cheese   Pests  and  Their  Control. 

344.  Cold   Storage   as   an   Aid   to   the   Mar- 

keting of  Plums,  a  Progress  Report.  408. 

347.  The  Control  of  Red  Spiders  in  Decid-  409. 

uous  Orchards. 

348.  Pruning  Young  Olive  Trees. 

349.  A    Study    of    Sidedraft    and    Tractor 

Hitches.  410. 

350.  Agriculture     in      Cut-Over      Redwood 

Lands. 

353.  Bovine    Infectious    Abortion,    and    As-  411. 

sociated  Diseases  of  Cattle  and  New- 
born  Calves.  .412. 

354.  Results  of  Rice  Experiments  in  1922. 

357.  A    Self-Mixing    Dusting    Machine    for 

Applying  Dry  Insecticides  and  Pun-  414. 

gicides. 

358.  Black    Measles,     Water    Berries,     and  415. 

Related  Vine  Troubles.  416. 

361.  Preliminary  Yield  Tables  for   Second- 

Growth   Redwood.  417. 

362.  Dust  and  the  Tractor  Engine. 

363.  The  Pruning  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali-  418. 

fornia. 

364.  Fungicidal    Dusts    for   the    Control    of  419, 

Bunt. 

366,  Turkish     Tobacco     Culture,     Curing,  420, 

and   Marketing, 

367,  Methods  of  Harvesting  and  Irrigation  421. 

in  Relation  to  Moldy  Walnuts.  422, 

368,  Bacterial      Decomposition     of      Olives 

During  Pickling,  423. 

369,  Comparison     of     Woods     for     Butter 

Boxes,  424, 

370,  Factors    Influencing   the    Development 

of  Internal  Browning  of  the  Yellow  425, 

Newton   Apple,  426, 

371,  The    Relative   Cost   of   Yarding    Small 

and  Large  Timber.  427, 

373.  Pear    Pollination, 

374.  A    Survey    of    Orchard    Practices    in  428, 

the     Citrus     Industry     of     Southern 
California, 

375.  Results   of   Rice   Experiments   at   Cor-  429. 

tena,   1923,  and  Progress  in  Experi-  430, 

ments  in  Water  Grass  Control  at  the  431, 

Biggs   Rice  Field   Station,    1922-23. 
377,  The  Cold  Storage  of  Pears.  432 

380.   Growth    of    Eucalyptus    in    Galifornia 

Plantations.  433, 

382.   Pumping    for    Draininge    in    the    San 

Joaquin   Valley,    California.  434 

385.  Pollination  of  the  Sweet  Cherry. 

386.  Pruning     Bearing     Deciduous     Fruit  435 

Trees. 

387.  Fig    Smut. 

388.  The   Principles   and   Practice   of    Sun- 

Drying  Fruit. 


Berseem  or  Egyptian  Clover. 
Harvesting    and    Packing    Grapes    in 

California. 
Machines     for     Coating     Seed     Wheat 

with   Copper   Carbonate   Dust. 
Fruit  Juice  Concentrates. 
Crop   Sequences  at  Davis. 
I.     Cereal    Hay    Production    in    Cali- 
fornia.      II,     Feeding     Trials     with 
Cereal  Hays, 

Bark  Diseases  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

The   Mat    Bean,    Phaseolus    Aconitifo- 

lius. 
Manufacture  of  Roquefort  Type  Cheese 
from  Goat's  Milk. 

Orchard   Heating  in   California. 

The  Utilization  of  Surplus  Plums. 

The  Codling  Moth  in  Walnuts. 

The  Dehydration  of  Prunes. 

Citrus   Culture   in    Central   California. 

Stationary  Spray  Plants  in  California. 

Yield,  Stand,  and  Volume  Tables  for 
White  Fir  in  the  California  Pine 
Region, 

Alternaria  Rot  of  Lemons, 

The  Digestibility  of  Certain  Fruit  By- 
products as  Determined  for  Rumi- 
nants. Part  I,  Dried  Orange  Pulp 
and  Raisin  Pulp, 

Factors  Influencing  the  Quality  of 
Fresh  Asparagus  after  it  is  Har- 
vested, 

Paradichlorobenzene  as  a  Soil  Fumi- 
gant, 

A  Study  of  the  Relative  Value  of  Cer- 
tain Root  Crops  and  Salmon  Oil  as 
Sources   of   Vitamin   A  for   Poultry, 

Planting  and  Thinning  Distances  for 
Deciduous  Fruit  Trees. 

The  Tractor  on  California  Farms. 

Culture  of  the  Oriental  Persimmon  in 
California. 

Poultry  Feeding:  Principles  and  Prac- 
tice. 

A  Study  of  Various  Rations  for  Fin- 
ishing Range  Calves    as  Baby  Beeves. 

Economic  Aspects  of  the  Cantaloupe 
Industry, 

Rice  and  Rice  By-Products  as  Feeds 
for  Fattening  Swine. 

Beef   Cattle   Feeding  Trials,    1921-24. 

Cost  of  Producing  Almonds  in  Cali- 
fornia :  a  Progress  Report. 

Apricots  (Series  on  California  Crops 
and  Prices). 

The  Relation  of  Rate  of  Maturity  to 
Egg  Production. 

Apple  Growing  in  California. 

Apple  Pollination  Studies  in 
fornia. 

The  Value  of  Orange  Pulp  for  Milk 
Production. 

The  Relation  of  Maturity  of 
fornia  Plums  to  Shipping 
Dessert  Quality. 

Economic  Status  of  the  Grape  Industry. 

Range  Grasses  of  California. 

Raisin  By-Products  and  Bean  Screen- 
ings as  Feeds  for  Fattening  Lambs. 

Some  Economic  Problems  Involved  in 
the  Pooling  of  Fruit. 

Power  Requirements  of  Electrically 
Driven    Manufacturing    Equipment. 

Investigations  on  the  Use  of  Fruits  in 
Ice  Cream  and  Ices. 

The  Problem  of  Securing  Closer 
Relationship  Between  Agricultural 
Development  and  Irrigation  Con- 
struction. 


Cali 


Cali- 
and 


No. 
436. 

437. 

438. 

439. 


440. 


441. 
442. 
443. 


No. 

87. 
117. 

127. 
129. 
136. 

144. 

157. 
164. 
166. 
178. 
202. 

203. 
209. 
212. 
215. 
230. 

231. 
232. 

234. 

238. 
239. 

240. 

241. 

243. 

244. 
245. 
248. 

249. 
250. 

252. 
253. 
255. 

257. 

258. 
259. 
261. 


BULLETINS— 


I.  The  Kadota  Fig.  II.  Kadota  Fig 
Products. 

Economic  Aspects  of  the  Dairy  In- 
dustry. 

Grafting  Affinities  with  Special  Refer- 
ence to  Plums. 

The  Digestibility  of  Certain  Fruit  By- 
products as  Determined  for  Rumi- 
nants. Part  II.  Dried  Pineapple 
Pulp,  Dried  Lemon  Pulp,  and  Dried 
Olive  Pulp. 

The  Feeding  Value  of  Raisins  and 
Dairy  By-Products  for  Growing  and 
Fattening  Swine. 

The  Electric  Brooder. 

Laboratory  Tests  of  Orchard  Heaters. 

Standardization  and  Improvement  of 
California   Butter. 

Series  on  California  Crops  and  Prices: 
Beans. 


(Continued) 
No. 

445.  Economic    Aspects    of    the    Apple    In- 

dustry. 

446.  The  Asparagus  Industry  in  California. 

447.  The  Method  of  Determining  the  Clean 

"Weights  of  Individual  Fleeces  of 
Wool. 

448.  Farmers'      Purchase     Agreement     for 

Deep   Well   Pumps. 

449.  Economic   Aspects  of  the  Watermelon 

Industry. 

450.  Irrigation     Investigations    with    Field 

Crops  at  Davis,  and  at  Delhi,  Cali- 
fornia. 

Studies  Preliminary  to  the  Establish- 
ment of  a  Series  of  Fertilizer  Trials 
in  a  Bearing  Citrus  Grove. 

Economic  Aspects  of  the  Pear  In- 
dustry. 


451. 


452. 


Alfalfa. 

The    selection    and    Cost    of    a    Small 

Pumping   Plant. 
House  Fumigation. 
The  control  of  Citrus  Insects. 
Melilotus    Indica    as    a    Green-Manure 

Crop  for  California. 
Oidium    or    Powdery    Mildew    of    the 

Vine. 
Control  of  Pear   Scab. 
Small   Fruit   Culture   in   California. 
The  County  Farm  Bureau. 
The  Packing  of  Apples  in  California. 
County    Organization    for    Rural    Fire 

Control. 
Peat   as   a  Manure   Substitute. 
The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 
Salvaging  Rain-Damaged   Prunes. 
Feeding   Dairy   Cows  in   California. 
Testing  Milk,    Cream,    and   Skim   Milk 

for  Butterfat. 
The  Home  Vineyard. 
Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Cherries   for   Eastern    Shipment. 
Winter     Injury     to     Young     Walnut 

Trees  During  1921-1922. 
The  Apricot  in  California. 
Harvesting     and     Handling     Apricots 

and  Plums  for  Eastern  Shipment. 
Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Pears  for  Eastern   Shipment. 
Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Peaches  for  Eastern   Shipment. 
Marmalade     Juice     and     Jelly     Juice 

from   Citrus  Fruits. 
Central  Wire  Bracing  for  Fruit  Trees. 
Vine  Pruning  Systems. 
Some   Common  Errors  in  Vine  Prun- 
ing and  Their  Remedies. 
Replacing  Missing  Vines. 
Measurement   of   Irrigation   Water   on 

the  Farm. 
Support   for   Vines. 
Vineyard   Plans. 

Leguminous    Plants    as    Organic    Fer- 
tilizers  in    California   Agriculture. 
The   Small-Seeded   Horse  Bean    (Vicia 

faba   var.   minor). 
Thinning    Deciduous   Fruits. 
Pear  By-Products. 
Sewing  Grain  Sacks. 


CIRCULARS 
No. 
265. 
266. 


267. 

269. 
270. 
273. 
276. 

277. 

278. 
279. 
281. 


282. 

284. 
286. 
287. 
288. 
289. 
290. 
292. 
293. 
294. 
296. 

298. 

300. 
301. 
302. 
304. 
305. 
307. 
308. 
309. 
310. 

311. 
312. 


Plant  Disease  and   Pest   Control. 

Analyzing  the  Citrus  Orchard  by 
Means  of  Simple  Tree  Records. 

The  Tendency  of  Tractors  to  Rise  in 
Front;  Causes  and  Remedies. 

An   Orchard   Brush   Burner. 

A  Farm   Septic  Tank. 

Saving  the  Gophered   Citrus  Tree. 

Home    Canning. 

Head,  Cane  and  Cordon  Pruning  of 
Vines. 

Olive  Pickling  in  Mediterranean 
Countries. 

The  Preparation  and  Refining  of 
Olive  Oil  in  Southern  Europe. 

The  Results  of  a  Survey  to  Deter- 
mine the  Cost  of  Producing  Beef  in 
California. 

Prevention  of  Insect  Attack  on  Stored 
Grain. 

The  Almond  in   California. 

Milk  Houses  for  California  Dairies. 

Potato   Production   in    California. 

Phylloxera  Resistant  Vineyards. 

Oak  Fungus  in   Orchard  Trees. 

The  Tangier  Pea. 

Alkali   Soils. 

The    Basis    of    Grape    Standardization. 

Propagation    of   Deciduous   Fruits. 

Control  of  the  California  Ground 
Squirrel. 

Possibilities  and  Limitations  of  Coop- 
erative Marketing. 

Coccidiosis  of  Chickens. 

Buckeye  Poisoning  of  the  Honey  Bee. 

The   Sugar  Beet  in   California. 

Drainage  on  the  Farm. 

Liming  the   Soil. 

American   Foulbrood   and   Its   Control. 

Cantaloupe    Production    in    California. 

Fruit  Tree   and   Orchard  Judging. 

The  Operation  of  the  Bacteriological 
Laboratory  for  Dairy  Plants. 

The   Improvement  of   Quality  in  Figs. 

Principles  Governing  the  Choice,  Op- 
eration and  Care  of  Small  Irrigation 
Pumping   Plants. 


The  publications  listed  above  may  be  had  by  addressing 

College  of  Agriculture, 

University  of  California, 

Berkeley,  California. 

12m-12,'28 


